Sparking igniter for explosive-gas engines.



No.-696,20I. Patented Mar. 25,1902.

v F. A. SEITZ.

SPARKING IGNITER FDR EXPLSWE GAS ENGINES. Application led July 1B,1901.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK A. SEITZ, OF NEVARK, NEV JERSEY.

S'PARKING IGNITER FOR EXPLOSIVE-GASENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,201, dated March25, 1902.

Application led J'uly 18, 1901.

To all whom, t may concern:

' Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. SEIrz, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of NewlJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SparkingIgniters for Explosive-Gas Engines; and l do hereby vdeclare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to numerals of reference marked thereon,which form a part 0f thisspecification.

This invention relates generally to improvements in explosive-gasengines; andthe invention has reference moreparticularly to a novelconstruction of sparking igniter for explosive-gas engines. 1 o

My invention therefore has for its primary objects to provide aneflicient, cheap, and. simply-constructed electric'ighiter or sparker.for enginesof the character above set forth which is provided with apairof contact Inaking and breaking rods properly insulated from each otherand both of which are directly in circuit with a` source .of electric.current by having each contact making and breaking rod attached directlyto a circuit-wire instead of connecting but one of said contactmakingrods with a. circuit-wire and attaching the other electricl wiredirectly to the framework or cylinder of the engine, as heretofore.

My invention therefore consists in the novel construction of sparkingigniter for explosivegas engines as well as in the novel arrangementsand combinations of the various parts thereof, all of which will befully described in the accompanying specication and then finallyembodied in the clausesof the claim.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 is a side view of a cylinder and valve-chest of one formof gas-engine, illustrating in connection therewith in front view theelectric igniter or sparker and a means forcausing the oscillatorymotion of one of the contact making and breaking rods,(which will behereinafter termed a rockshaft) for producing an electric spark. Fig. 2is arear end view of the sparking igniter and a Serial No. 68,730. (Nomodel.)

' portion of the inner part of the engine-cylinder. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal Vertical section of the igniter and a portion of the`enginecylinder. Fig. 4is a vertical cross-section of the igniter,the twocontact making and breaking rods being omitted in this View; and Fig. 5is a vertical cross-section taken on line5 in said Fig. 3 looking in thedirection of the arrow y.

Similar numbers of reference are employed in all of the saidabove-described views to indicate corresponding parts..

In the said drawings, 1 indicates one form of piston-cylinder of anexplosive-gas engine,

and 2 is an actuating means, preferably in the form of a rod, whichmoves vertically in a pair of bearings 3; The said reciprocatory slidingrod 2 is provided with a suitable lug or projectionj/i, which, is vpreferably formed with achambered edge 5, as clearly illustrated in Fig.1 ofthe drawings.

The sparking or igniting device, which is ,more clearly illustrated inFigs..2, 3,' and 4,

consists,.essentially, of abushing 6, provided with an externalscrew-thread 7 for screwing it into a correspondingly screw-threadedhole or opening in the side of the cylinder 1, as clearly indicated inFig. 3 of the drawings. This bushing is formed upon its outer face witha flange or shoulder S, which is preferably provided with a pair of ears9, having holes 10, in which maybe arranged the bolts or screws 11 forsecuring the said bushing in position against turning after it has beenscrewed into place inthe hole in the side of the cylinder 1.v Theinterior of the bushing 6 is formed with a large cylindrical bore 12,which extends from the rear edge of the bush- -ing to apoint near thefront of the bushing,

whereby an internal shoulder or offset 13 is formed, as will be clearlyseen from an inspection of Fig. 3. In its forward face the said bushing6 is provided with a pair of holes or openings 14: and'15, as shown insaid Fig. 3. Within the said hole or opening 14 is arranged a ring-shaped piece of insulating material 16, having its inner edgepreferably extending slightly into the chamber formed by the bore 12,and in the other hole or opening 15 is placed a sleeve 17, also ofinsulating material, the said sleeve having its inner end projectingslightly into the chamber formed by ICO the said bore 12 and beingprovided with an enlarged portion 18 at its opposite end ontside of thesaid bushing 6, substantially as illustrated. The inner cylindricalsurface of the said bore 12 is lined with a ring or member 19, made ofinsulating material, and the chamber formed by the said bore 12 is alsodivided into two parts by a horizontally-arranged and iiat sheet orpiece 20, of insulating material, the inner edges of both the said ringor member 19 and said piece 20 extending directly back to the saidshoulder 13, as clearly representedin said Fig. 3. The inner spacesformed by the said insulating members 19 and 20, as will be seen from aninspection of Figs. 2 and 4, provide two chambers, which are nearly of asemicylindrical internal configuration. Into each of these chambers Ihave slipped metallic blocks 21 and 22, which have a nearlysemicylindrical configuration, as shown, the said block 21. being formedwith a duct23, and the block 22 being likewise formed with a duct 24.Within the said duct 23 is arranged a rod 25, the same being immovablyheld in its ixed position in theblock 21 bymeans of a small set-screw26, as shown in Fig. 3. The rear end portion 27 of this stem or rod 25extends from the back of the bushing 6 and is provided with a suitablecontact-making point 28. Into the forward end of the said rod or stem25is screwed a binding-screw 29, to which is attached one of theelectric-circuit wires 30, as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.Within the duct 24 of the other block 21 is arranged, so as to oscillatetherein, a rock-shaft 31, which has its rear end 32 projecting from therear of the bushing 6 and extending into the piston-chamber of theengine. This end portion 32 of the rock-shaft 3l is formed with alaterally-extendin g arm 33, on which there is a contact-making point34, which is placed in such a manner upon the said arm 33 that it willmake and break electrical contact with the point 28 as the rock-shaft ismade to oscillate in the manner to be hereinafter set forth.Suitablysecured upon the forward end of the said rock-shaft 31 is arocker-arm 35, which is provided at its lower end with a pin 3G and aroller 37, made of insulating material. This end of the said rock-shaftis also provided with a binding-screw 38, to which is connected theother circuit-wire 39, coming from a suitable source of electricalenergy. The said rocker-arm 35 is also connected by means of a spring40, which is suitably insulated from the said shaft, with the face ofthe bushing G, whereby the rocker-arm 35 will normally rest in theposition indicated in Fig. 1, and the rock-shaft and its parts will bein the position indicated in Fig. 2, at which time there is noelectrical connection between the two contact-points 28 and 34.

Pivotally arranged upon a pin 41 on the side of the cylinder 1 is aspring-actuated dog 42, having its curved end 43 normally directly abovethe lu g or projection 4 on the previouslymentioned rod 2. Connectedwith the dog 42 and the side of the cylinder 1 isa spring 44, which isof greater strength than the spring 40, so that the lifting end 45 ofthe said dog 42, which rests against the insulated roller 37V of therocker-arm 35, will normally cause the rock-shaft 31 to be in theposition where there is no electrical contact between the points 28 and34. During an upward stroke of the rod 2 the projection or lug 4 liftsthe curved end 43 of the dog 42 and removes its opposite end 45 fromengagement with the roller 37 on the rocker-arm 35 of the rock-shaft 31.The spring will now force the arm 35 to follow the downward movement ofthe end of the dog 42, and the points 28 and 34 will immediatelyestablish a complete electrical circuit between the several parts of themechanism, the wires 30 and 39, and the source of elecrieal supply towhich said wires are connected. This electric circuit is establishedjust before the projection or lug 4 has passed the curved end portion 43of the dog 42. As soon as the said projection or lug 4 has passed thisportion 43 the spring 44 of the dog 42 will immediately force the end 45in an upward direction, whereby it strikes the roller 37 of therockerarm 35 with sucient force to oscillate the rock-shaft 31, andthereby break the electrical contact between the-points 28 and 34 andcause a spark, which ignites the gas in the cylinder and causes theexplosion. Upon the return stroke of the rod 2 the inclined or chamferededge 5 of the projection or lug 4 permits the lug 4 to pass the curvedend portion 43 of the dog 42 without suiciently moving the said dog tocause another electric spark.

From the above description of my invention it will be clearly seen thatI have devised an efficient and effective as well as a simpleconstruction of' sparking igniter for explosive-gas engines in which aweak current of electricity can be used, since the igniter mechanism isdirectly connected with both electric wires, and I thereby avoidcharging the whole frame or the cylinder of the engine with electricityto a great disadvantage, as heretofore.

In View of modiications of which the invention is vobviously susceptibleI do not limit my invention to the exact constructions and combinationsof parts herein shown and described; but various changes and alterationsmay be made which fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A sparkingigniter for explosive-gas engines, consisting, essentially, of a bushingprovided with a bore, an insulating-ring in said bore, and adividing-wall of insulating material, forming a pair of chambers, andanl electrical contact making and breaking rod in each chamber,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A sparking igniter for explosive-gas en- IOS) IIO

gines, consisting, essentially, of abushing provided With a bore, aninsulating-ring in said bore, and a dividing-Wall of insulatingmaterial, forming a pair of chambers, a block in each chamber, eachblock being provided with a duct, and an electric contact making andbreaking rod in each duct, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

3. A sparking igniter for explosive-gas engines, oonsisting,essentially,of abushingprovided with a bore, an insulating-ring in said bore, and adividing-Wall of insulating material, forming a pair of chambers, ablock in each chamber, each block being provided with a duct, acontact-making rod in one of said ducts, and means for securing said rodin its fixed position in said duct, arock-shaft in the other of saidducts, and means for rocking said shaft and causing it to make and breakelectric contact with said contact-making rod, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

4. A sparking igniter for explosive-gas engines, consisting,essentially,of a bushing provided With a cylindrical bore, an insulatingring in saidbore, and a dividing-Wall of insulating material, forming-a pair ofsemicylindrical chambers, a semicylindrical block in eachsemicylindrical chamber, each block being provided with aV duct, acontact-making` rod in one of said ducts, and means for securing saidrod in its fixed position in said duct, a rock-shaft in the other ofsaid ducts, and means for rocking said shaft and causing it to make andbreak electric contact with said contact-making rod, consisting, of arocker-arm on said rock-shaft, an insulated roller on said arm, and aspring-actuated dog, adapted to be brought in forcible engagement Withsaid roller, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. A sparking igniter for explosive-gas engines,consisting, essentially,of a bushing provided With a cylindrical bore, and a pair of insulatedopenings 14 and 15, a shoulder 13 in said bushing, an insulating-ringinsaid bore, and a dividing-Wall of insulating material, said ring andvwall abutting against said shoulder 13 and forming a pair ofsemicylindrical chambers, and an electric Contact making and breakingrod in each insulated opening 14 and 15, extending into said chambers,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

G. A sparking igniter for explosive-gas engines,consisting, essentially,of a b ushing provided With a cylindrical bore, and a pair of insulatedopenings 14 and 15, a shoulder 13 in said bushing, an insulating-ring insaid bore, and a dividing-Wall of insulating material, said ring andWall abutting-against said shoulder 13 and forming a pair ofsemicylindrical chambers, a semicylindrical block in eachsemicylindrical chamber, each block being providedwith a duct,and anelectric contact making and breaking rod in each insulated opening 14and 15, extending into the said ducts, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

7. A sparking igniter for explosive-gas engines, consisting,essentially,of abushing provided With a cylindrical bore, and a pair ofinsulatedopenings 14 and 15, a shoulder 13 in said bushing, aninsulating-ring in said bore, and a dividing-Wall of insulatingmaterial, said ring and Wall abutting against said shoulder 13 andforming a pair of semicylindrical chambers, a semicylindrical block ineach semicylindrical chamber, each block being provided'With a duct, acontact-making rod in said insulated opening 14, extendinginto theductin one of said semicylindrical blocks, and means for securing saidrod in its fixed position in said duct, a rock-shaft in said insulatedopening 15, extending into the duct in the other of said semicylindricalblocks, and means for rocking said-shaft and cans ing it to make andbreak electric eontactwith said contact-making rod, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

8. A sparking igniter for explosive-gas en gines, consisting,essentially,of a bushing provided with a cylindrical bore, and a pair ofinsulated openings 14 and `15, a shoulder 13 in said bushing, aninsulating-ring in said bore, and a dividing-Wall of insulatingmaterial, said ring and Wall abutting against said shoulder 13'andforming a pair of semi-V cylindrical chambers, a semicylindrical blockin each semicylindrical chamber, each'block being provided With a duct,a contact-making rod in said insulated opening 14, extending into'theductin one of said semicylindrical blocks, and means for securing saidrod inits xed position in said duct, a rock-shaft in said insulatedopenin g 15, extending into the duct in the other of saidsemicylindrical blocks, and means for rockingsaid shaft and causing itto make and break electric Contact with said contact-making rod,consisting, of a rocker-arm on said rocker-shaft, an insulated roller onsaid arm, and a spring-actuated dog, adapted to be brought inforcible'engagement with said roller, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereuntoset my hand this 16th day of July, 1901.

v 'FREDERICK ApSElTZ.' lWitnesses:

' FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL,

GEO. D. RICHARDS.

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